While I think Bale's movies are the best incarnation of the character by a mile, his Bruce Wayne is actually better than his Batman. Michael Keaton didn't convince me as Batman but his Wayne was believably eccentric.

Keaton , pretty much perfect as both Wayne and Batman. I would love express my feelings on Bale's efforts, but I would only be accused of trolling, so I won't (Kilmer is involved in this, I've said too much).

Keaton , pretty much perfect as both Wayne and Batman. I would love express my feelings on Bale's efforts, but I would only be accused of trolling, so I won't (Kilmer is involved in this, I've said too much).

Not a Bale fan? I fully understand why his voice as Batman would grate on some but think he really nails Bruce.

Keaton , pretty much perfect as both Wayne and Batman. I would love express my feelings on Bale's efforts, but I would only be accused of trolling, so I won't (Kilmer is involved in this, I've said too much).

Not a Bale fan? I fully understand why his voice as Batman would grate on some but think he really nails Bruce.

Keaton , pretty much perfect as both Wayne and Batman. I would love express my feelings on Bale's efforts, but I would only be accused of trolling, so I won't (Kilmer is involved in this, I've said too much).

Not a Bale fan? I fully understand why his voice as Batman would grate on some but think he really nails Bruce.

I really have tried to enjoy both Bale and Nolan's work, and I am not the sort of person who likes to be contrary just for the sake of it. It's just that I really can't get into it. The ridiculous voice is a problem, but one I would be willing to overlook, there are some other problems. Bale seems bored in the role and there is (to my mind) an element of both Bale and Nolan getting away with it a bit and not quite believing their luck.

I realise I am entirely in the minority on this.

Maybe (if I'm being honest) it is just that I love both both the Burton Films, with the first one being in my top 10 of all time. It might just be my hang-up and maybe I'm just not allowing myself to see past the earlier films.

Or, maybe Nolan and Bale are just shit

Of course, the element of fanboy that Nolan seems attract doesn't help, but I guess you get that with anything successful.

Still, I am prone to dramatic changes of opinion, maybe in a year or two I will be on here ranting about the good old days of Nolan and cursing whatever direction Batman is taken in next.

For me Bale is unquestionably the best Batman, the best public Bruce Wayne and the best private Bruce Wayne.

Keaton was good as Batman but he just looked confused and too eccentric as Wayne.

Kilmer was actually not bad as both.

Clooney tremendous actor though he is, was basically Clooney in the batsuit.

With Bale, I do understand the voice annoying people but it really works for me. It adds to the primal nature of a menacing, shadow figure like Batman. The scene in Begins where he hauls Flass up and screams "swear to me" is probably the best example of this. His private Wayne is the right mix of earnestness but with a sly sense of humour and his public Bruce Wayne is a cocky playboy. If I had a criticism it would be that his public Wayne perhaps isn't as charming or as endearing as it could be. Other than that, nobody comes close to him in my opinion.

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Same thing happened to me when I played Neil Armstrong in Moonshot. They found me in an alley in Burbank trying to re-enter the earth's atmosphere in an old refrigerator box.

Exactly six miles north of Skagg Mountain in the Valley of Pain, there lives an evil devilmonster. His name is Bingo Gas Station Motel Cheeseburger With A Side Of Aircraft Noise And You'll Be Gary Indiana.

For me Bale is unquestionably the best Batman, the best public Bruce Wayne and the best private Bruce Wayne.

Keaton was good as Batman but he just looked confused and too eccentric as Wayne.

Kilmer was actually not bad as both.

Clooney tremendous actor though he is, was basically Clooney in the batsuit.

With Bale, I do understand the voice annoying people but it really works for me. It adds to the primal nature of a menacing, shadow figure like Batman. The scene in Begins where he hauls Flass up and screams "swear to me" is probably the best example of this. His private Wayne is the right mix of earnestness but with a sly sense of humour and his public Bruce Wayne is a cocky playboy. If I had a criticism it would be that his public Wayne perhaps isn't as charming or as endearing as it could be. Other than that, nobody comes close to him in my opinion.

But if I have to go live action, I like Keaton but Kilmer was actually pretty good too. He just had a really bad script to work with (I will admit, I don't hate Batman Forever). Hmmmm.....I'll say Keaton, fuck it, why not?

The voice thing I like. It makes sense to change your voice. A blind person will immediately identify you, as would a normal-sighted person in the dark. Changing your voice creates a total identity cloak.

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The voice thing I like. It makes sense to change your voice. A blind person will immediately identify you, as would a normal-sighted person in the dark. Changing your voice creates a total identity cloak.

Bale is my preferred, but I do really like Keaton too. Kilmer was alright, and Clooney's performance is given an interesting spin if one considers it to be a take on the West Batman (as does the whole Clooney film actually).

I think the voice issues is less to do with the fact that he disguises his voice and rather how he uses the most stupid voice to disguise with. Keaton nailed the Bat-voice in my opinion. Bale just sounds silly to be honest.

For me Keaton's Wayne had charm, charisma, eccentricity, plus you could really sense a darkness lurking behind those great eyes, a proper mystique. And he had something else that I thought was invaluable; a sense of humour. Something that, for me anyway, Bale's BW seriously lacked. Although Bale's Batman is a serious badass, of course, I just thought his Wayne was a little bland. And a bit too tortured.

Still great films though, but I am biased towards the Burtons because I grew up on them. Plus I thought the casting was ingenious because it was so against type for Keaton, that one wouldn't suspect someone of his stature could transform into a flying nocturnal kick-ass vigilante. That made him so much more compelling for me to watch as a boy.

If we're talking strictly Wayne as the OP suggests then its Bale easy. He's the only one who managed the duality of public billionaire Wayne and private tortured soul Wayne. Add to that having the third Batman persona made him pretty much the best screen incarnation of a Superhero since Christopher Reeve with his magic ability to differentiate between Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman flawlessly.

IMO Bale has equalled that performance which neither Keaton or any other Batman managed.

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And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts And I looked and behold, a pale horse And his name that sat on him was Death And Hell followed with him.